I would like to give this book more than 5 stars- it's easily my favorite book of the year thus far, which is saying something in July, because I've read quite a few I loved.
This story was familiar in some of the things it explored- the limits of being a woman in a male-dominated world, loneliness, mental health, while offering new sharp commentary on ideas and art, and what it means to live a life worth living.
I cried toward the end, so connected to these characters, but was ultimately absolutely dazzled with a sense of vindication by the final page. I can't recommend it enough.

This book really hurt my heart. And I loved it.

It is a beautifully written story about living life to the fullest and, yet, missing out on something very significant.

Three hundred years ago, Addie LaRue begged the gods for a way out of the life she was doomed to lead. The darkness answered, twisting her plea as devils do, to try and make her life miserable. She could live as long as she wanted, see as much of the world as she wanted, but she couldn't share her experiences with anyone. They wouldn't remember her once she left their eyesight.

She changed the curse to her advantage--mostly out of spite.

Reading this book in the middle of a global pandemic where you're supposed to be staying away from others not in your household really made the loneliness permeating throughout the pages really hit hard. Life is supposed to be full of memories with your loved ones. When you look back on your past experiences, they're supposed to have other people in them.

I loved this book. Interesting and great writing. What a life Addie has lived. I will recommend it to library patrons. ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was a good read, with lots of twists and turns and lots of big, meaty ideas presented and played with. The writing style is also flawlessly beautiful in many places.

The main characters are well drawn and, if not always sympathetic, at least always interesting, and the secondary characters are also much more fleshed out than you normally find.

That being said, I did have a few problems with it. Mainly that it was too long. In writing classes they always tell you that a scene should be doing multiple things at once, whereas in Addie, there were entire chapters that were nothing but characterization and did nothing to move the plot forward. This made the book very put-downable for me.

Your mileage may vary on this point though, because when all the pieces came together at the end, it was pretty damn impressive.

**3.45**
**ARC provided by NetGalley**

First off, I think this book was incredibly ambitious.
The core concept the narrative is centered on (a girl being forgotten when she is out of sight) gave Schwab a fine line to walk to keep the world believable within the boundaries this single idea created and I was frequently impressed by her ability to abide by her own rules. Plenty of authors don't bother to maintain their own rules when they're operating within fantasy.

From my understanding following Scwab on Instagram, I know that this was a book at least partially inspired by V.E. Schwab's relationship and history with her depression which is what compelled me to want to read it.
While there were a couple parts of this book where I felt very seen and I enjoyed the idea of the story, I found the book slow-paced and uneventful and left me wanting more from the book.
I am usually of on the unpopular side of opinions when it comes to Schwab's books though and I could see fans of her Monsters of Verity duology enjoying this immensely.

The story of learning to live well with the life you're given instead of the life you wished for, to guard against unintended consequences, and to know your own power and worth.

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue is about a young 18th century French woman named Adeline who makes a deal with a mystical power (the devil, an old god, whatever you want to call him). Her soul in exchange for her freedom. What Adeline doesn't understand is that Luc, as she will call him, is a stickler for words and what Adeline agrees to isn't exactly what she prayed for...

I enjoyed this book. It is impeccably plotted. The characters are well written and compelling. It was exciting to see how Schwab peppered the book with historical events and figures. I appreciated the discussion of time and what one would do with finite or infinite amounts of it. If one is given infinite time, are they even human anymore? Are we human because of our limited time on the planet? Some really interesting ideas to think about in this book.

All that being said, I never got completely swept up by this book. It took me almost a month to read. I never felt that incredible urge to see what happened next. My interest did increase significantly when a certain character was introduced about half way through the book. I just never got that special feeling I need to rate a book 5 stars. I will note that Schwab lands the ending pretty perfectly.

Recommended for fans of V.E. Schwab, fantastical romance stories, and all things timey-wimey.

An engrossing Faustian story for a new age. In the 1700s Addie LaRue makes a deal with the devil: In exchange for immortality, the devil will have her soul when she doesn’t want it anymore. The catch? Nobody can remember her once she is out of sight. For three hundred years she travels the world alone, her only legacy the art she has inspired along the way (even though the artists don’t remember their muse). Then, in 2014, she shoplifts from a New York City bookshop ... and the shop clerk doesn’t forget her. Their budding romance is almost as captivating as the story of Addie’s long life. Addie LaRue is such a remarkable character – resilient and brave and full of wonder – that by the end of the book, three centuries doesn’t seem like enough time with her. I cannot recommend this beautiful, heart-wrenching novel enough.

Everything is so so good. I hardly know what to say, as I was wasted when I finished reading it last night. Sobbing is too common a word for how I reacted. There were tears to be sure. But I had to keep getting myself under some semblance of control just to be able to finish. And I am so grateful for whatever forces made me able to feel so deeply as I read combined with the gift that is VE Schwab and this perfect book.

The premise is remarkable. Addie is a wonder. Henry is gonna live in me for years (as did Wesley from another one of her amazing stories). And Luc. Well. Luc is the one that I shouldn’t want to love/yearn for. But, Addie is not alone in that way. Even Sam and Toby and Remy are snug in my soul. And Estele. Ahhhhh, the crone is the dearest.

It was a longer wait than I would have liked, but rarely has a wait been so worth it. Gawd this book is worth it. Thanks, NetGalley. And VE Schwab. Would it interest you to know that I pictured YOU as Addie? Don’t know why, but that’s what happened as I read. And I really dug it. Such a gift. Thanks. 💜📚

VE Schwab is a master at atmosphere. I loved this book.
I loved the description and I loooOOoooOOve when Schwab uses run on sentences; it's like watching a montage of moments and its done so beautifully, and every page of this story was so lush.
My only complaint I can think of is that some chapters where Luc came back to tempt Addie became repetitive. Towards the end, though, they started to all tie together really nicely.
I usually don't like when books skip around on the timeline, and this book does that A LOT. And it worked. I don't think this plot would have worked so well if it were linear.
Henry is a gem. I wanted to cry I loved their love so much. This book may end up one of the few that I actually delve into again another time.

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V. E. Schwab is one of the best books I read all year. I enjoyed it 100%.

A love story about a willful young woman who wanted to live freely and a young man who just wanted to be loved for who he is. Great for readers who love a good love story and fantastic writing.

The book opened in 1714 in France, when 23 year old Addie LaRue, tired of being told what to do and wanted to escaped an arranged marriage, sold her soul to the devil (plainly called the shadow in the book) in exchange for freedom, ‘free from courtship, free from marriage, free from everything except Villon. Left alone to grow. And dream.’ The shadow granted her immortality. She was 300 years old in 2014, and had lived many lives, with many names, but nobody remembered her; memories of her ‘erased by a closing door, an instant out of sight, a moment of sleep. Unable to leave a mark on anyone, or anything’, until one day, at The Book, a young man named Henry, remembered her. And it goes without saying, they fell in love. But how was it that Henry could remember her?

The timeline went back and forth - from when Addie LaRue was still trying to grasp her ‘invisibility’ and working her way around it, travelling to places beyond her imagination were she to live her previous life, to the present moment in 2014 when she met Henry, an employee at The Book bookstore, who also had struggles of his own.

Truth to be told – I’m ambivalent about this book. The good things first. I was enamored by Schwab’s writing: her descriptions of people, places and emotions were just beautiful. I had many passages highlighted, one of which was about Henry: “His heart has a draft. It lets in light. It lets in storms. It lets in everything.” So simple, yet so profound. Isn’t that just beautiful?

Another one: “Being forgotten, she thinks, is a bit like going mad. You begin to wonder, what is real, if you are real. After all, how can a thing be real if it cannot be remembered?”

Henry’s entrance to the story kind of lifted the story a little bit. In fact, I thought his character, as compared to Addie’s, had more dimension and his life a little bit more interesting even though it was only set in New York. And New York felt more real as compared to the other places like Spain and England which Addie had also visited. I was also intrigued by the shadow, which I didn’t get much of, and only saw more of him towards the end.

Unfortunately for me, unlike many other readers, I found it difficult to connect to Addie, who, besides her strong desire to live freely, hardly grew as a character. 300 years into her life, she was still a 23-year-old. And although Estelle was portrayed as someone whom Addie cared dearly, I just couldn’t feel it – the bond and the relationship was told, but wasn’t shown.

Like the title, Addie felt ‘invisible’ to me. Just fleeting moments of her travels here and there, times spent with her lovers here and there. And just when she was in a moment of struggle, fighting for her life, she’d be saved by the shadow, or she’d wish for him to come save her, even though she knew she’d liven no matter what. There was hardly a moment of tension, or a momentous event throughout her 300 years of life.

If I were to describe this novel with graphic lines, except for the intriguing start and a faster pace towards the end, the middle would be represented by wavy lines across the graph.

Overall the book was written beautifully, so much so that the writing itself overshadowed the characters and its story. But after reading some reviews, I can see that I fall in the minority. Maybe this book just wasn’t for me.

That said, I loved the idea of the story and I'm certain that many others will enjoy this book, unfortunately not me. Definitely my loss! But I'm looking forward to reading Schwab’s popular Shades of Magic series – that’s already on my shelf.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read and review this much raved-about book in exchange for an honest review, I'm truly thankful! All opinions are mine.

"It is sad, of course, to forget. But it is a lonely thing, to be forgotten."

First of all, I want to thank Tor Publishing for letting me have an E-ARC copy to review of this book. I practically groveled at their feet, I wanted this book so badly. I am forever grateful to have the chance to read this book early, at what felt like the perfect time.

Just as a short, short summary: Addie LaRue sells her soul in order to live for as long as she wants. The only catch is that everyone Addie ever meets will not remember her...until one day, someone does.

This book felt timeless, just like Addie. The way Schwab jumps between times and stories in Addie's life were just so well done and kept the book moving at such a great pace. Things felt like they were progressing yet also like we had just scratched the surface. I sat down to read one night, starting at 70%. I kept reading and reading and I KNEW I had to be close to the end, but I was dreading the end so much, I refused to check on my percentage bar. I just did not know how this book would wrap up and I honestly just plain ol did not want it to end.

"Books, she has found, are a way to live a thousand lives - or to find strength in a very long one."

Schwab has been quoted saying this is the closest she will probably ever come to writing a love story and I am absolutely okay with that. One of the things I have loved the most about her books I have read thus far is that a love interest/story is not the front and center of her books. I feel like Addie LaRue tells a love story, but not between Addie and someone, but rather a love story between Addie and life. Addie's drive and determination and her ability to maintain her sense of wonder is so inspiring. But also all the loves along the way were all perfectly written.

Every character felt just as fleshed out as Addie. I thoroughly enjoyed the dichotomy of Luc and Henry. As always, Schwab does a wonderful job presenting a character you are supposed to dislike, someone who is supposed to be "bad" and then explores more than just that in those characters. The tree in the graveyard scene really...got me.

"But this is how you walk to the end of the world.
This is how you live forever.
Here is one day, and here is the next, and the next, and you take what you can, savor every stolen second, cling to every moment, until its gone."

I think I will stick to a shorter review this time around. I feel almost certain that I will want to reread this book once I finally have a physical copy in my hands and will post a longer, extremely detailed review after that. I normally enjoy my ebook experience, but I could just feel the longing for the physical copy of this book. I think it will be even better to own this one physically.

If you take anything from this review, it should be that you need to pre-order this book ASAP. And read it as soon as it comes in. This book felt like home to me, like it was made for me. I know it sounds overdramatic, but I just cannot express how much this book impacted me.

Everything you've heard about V.E. Schwab being the Queen of Fantasy and her amazing writing is true. All of it.

In a rare play, she managed to bowl me over with the beauty and complexity of this novel. One doesn't usually come to fantasy for heart, but this book delivers. A story about a girl cursed to be forgotten is a story you as a reader will never forget.

Six out of five for this masterpiece.

Absolutely masterful. The prose, the characters, the story. I've been longing for a book like this for so long, and I absolutely loved it.

I've been looking forward to this book for years ever since I first hear V.E. Schwab talk about drafting in on Twitter. I was excited to get my hands on an ARC. I've already recommended this book to my many fantasy-loving friends.

What makes this book stand out is how seamlessly the setting flits between the 1700's and modern times. Rather than telling the story chronologically, the reader is pulled between two timelines. This unique pacing makes for stronger world-building and bigger gut-punches.

Part-way through the novel, I found the rhythm becoming a little predictable. However, the unpredictable, yet incredibly satisfying ending makes this a hands-down, must-read, five star novel.

This book examines the nature of love, inspiration, identity and the marks we leave on this world. It is for book and art lovers who cherish a good love story, a bit of the supernatural, and rumination on the nature of our existence and what it means to be seen. It follows the story of Addie, a young woman who makes a deal with the devil and agrees to give him her soul in exchange for freedom and eternal life. The only catch is that no one will be able to remember her once she leaves their sight. Beautifully written it takes the reader around the world and through history as it weaves a beautiful tale of love, regret and hope.

V.E. Schwab spins a beautiful narrative that spans over nearly 300 years. We follow Addie LaRue as she evolves as a person. Watch her life unfold, and as she lives with being forgotten—and not having the ability to leave a mark on the world with her own hands. We get to see glimpses into the life of one who has lived for lifetimes.
This novel is full of beautiful imagery and metaphors that give the story a melancholy feeling—Schwab layers on the metaphors and description at the beginning of the book. As the story goes on, she evens them out, so they flow more with the story. The first 30% of the book is drawn out, slow, and atmospheric setting up the world. It took a while for Addie to make her deal with the Devil. But after that, the book picked up, and I was completely absorbed into the world of Addie LaRue. VE Schwab places the reader in France in the 18th century and immerses the reader into that world. Addie makes a deal with the Devil to live forever but is cursed to be forgotten.
Although the book is about Addie, there is some distance between her and the reader. We aren't in her head, but we follow her on her journey through her life of being forgotten by everyone until one day, someone remembers her. When she meets Henry at a bookstore, he remembers her.
This is very different from Schwab's other books, but this is one of the most beautiful books I have ever read. Her other books have grit and darkness, and although this book is about making a deal with the Devil, it doesn't go quite into the darkness in comparison to Schwab's other novels. Schwab shows readers as Addie clings to her mortality and immortality. How Addie longed for her independence and to escape a life where she was destined to be married off. And live and die in the same plot as her family. Which she traded to live forever and be forgotten by everyone she meets. We see Addie as she struggles with her identity as a woman, alone on the streets. Fighting to survive and the fight for her to hold onto her soul. Addie carries a part of her home in France with her over the years. Until she is stripped of that familiarity, plunging into the unknown world and truly being on her own. Despite all the hardships of her life, she still clings to her soul even with the Devil's temptations to give it up.
Addie is a survivor, by the skin of her teeth, she has survived against the odds. And against a God waiting to claim her soul. Even if people have forgotten her, she has planted seeds into other's heads. Her ideas live on, and she has left her mark on the world. I remember Addie LaRue. This is one of the best books I have ever read. Five well deserved stars.

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue was a magical read, with words that flowed in a lyrical almost whimsical kind of way. The synopsis grabs your attention and makes you wonder, what would you give up to live forever?

Addie was stubborn as hell and I loved it. A muse full of wonder and adventure even after years spent exploring Europe. We catch up to her almost 300 years into her life and this girl has not changed one bit from who she was in 1714. No character development happened, and I swear it was from sheer stubbornness. That and I don’t think she needed to change. She was the spontaneous friend who is warm from the start and draws you. Who looks like she knows some great secrets and you want to know them too. All Addie wanted from her life was to find love and explore the world beyond her tiny town, which she ironically never strays far from, except I always felt like while she loved exploring she always seemed to want that love more. Someone to share her explorations with.

The curse itself was so intricately designed. Schwab does a great job of outlining it, showing how it works and Addie discovering how herself through a series of flashbacks to the beginning of it. Addie cannot make an actual mark on the world, but she can plant ideas which was so fascinating and tricky. While the lives she touches cannot exactly remember her, they remember the idea of her.

Pacing wise, it was a slow read. It’s meant to be a slow read though, we’ve got 300+ years to explore with Addie. We don’t even reach the situation in the synopsis until almost 50% through the book. It’s all story and world-building. My only complaint is I felt like I was rushing towards that someone remembering her and didn’t fully appreciate the flashbacks until after that plot point occurred. The writing was just beautiful though, full of similes and metaphors. Descriptions so well written you can picture a moment perfectly in your mind down to the last detail.

Can you really be in love with someone if they’re your only option, or at that point is it just complacency? Can someone fall in love with you if they only know you for a day?

Love was what I thought to be at the core of this book. Addie for all her talk of independence and not wanting to belong to someone truly just wants to be loved for being herself. To be forgotten time and time again by those she feels she could have a connection with when they leave the room or fall asleep. I loved her dance with the darkness, the devil who holds her hostage under the curse. He was such an intriguing character and I loved their moments, years, together. While at the beginning of the book I wanted to skip the flashbacks, at the end I want to skip to them. Then we have Henry who remembers her, but is it enough to just remember? Henry was kind, sweet and so utterly lost in a world moving forward and leaving him behind. I understood him but just because he can remember Addie does that make it love or just convenience.

This is not going to be the book for everyone. From writing style to pacing and the non-ending ending I can see quite a few people being upset or disliking it. If you are not a fan of The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern, which is the closest writing style I can come up with, maybe try a sample before straight buying it. For those who love a poetic picture being painted and don’t mind a slow pace, grab it immediately.

I don't possess the words to adequately describe this book and how it made me feel.  Schwab says that over the nearly ten years she worked on it, she put her heart and soul, teeth and blood and bones into this one.  And it shows.  It's a magnificent work of art.

Imagine if you were forgotten by everyone you meet.  In your presence, they know and recognize you, but the second they leave the room or wake up beside you, you're a stranger.  Because of this, you can't hold a job - no employer would know who you were.  With no way to earn money, you have no home.  No closet full of clothes, no belongings, no friends.  No loved ones who remember you.  It's an incredibly lonely life, but over the three hundred year span of this story, Addie really lives and experiences all the world has to offer - beauty, pain, love, hate, heartbreak, suffering - everything you can imagine.

It's difficult to review this without spoilers, but trust me when I say this book offers a profound and thought-provoking examination of life and what it means to live.  A blend of survival story, love story, historical fiction, and magical realism, you'll experience a wide spectrum of emotions.  I actually teared up at one point, and trust me - that's quite a feat. 

With beautiful writing, quotes you'll make a note of, and extraordinary character development, I can't recommend this book enough.  If I could give it more than five stars, I absolutely would.  It will linger in your mind long after finishing the last page.   

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.